The University of Guelph has extended its return to in-person classes by an extra week.
Last month, the university said it would return to in-person classes on Jan. 24 after two weeks of mostly remote learning to start the winter semester. The new date is Jan. 31.
“The decision to extend remote course delivery by one week was based on a variety of factors, including current government and public health directives and consultations with public health, other experts, and our community,” said university spokesperson Deirdre Healey.
Some courses with face-to-face activities, such as labs and studios, resumed in-person on Jan. 10. Healey said the university plans to phase other in-person courses and course components on Jan. 24 where instructors have deemed it necessary.
Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Windsor and Western University all plan to resume in-person classes on Jan. 31.
The University of Waterloo is scheduled to resume in-person classes on Jan. 24.
U of G also extended its 100 per cent tuition refund deadline to Jan. 23.
In a statement from the university, U of G president Charlotte Yates and vice-president Gwen Chapman said it is becoming clear that COVID-19 in various forms will be with us for the foreseeable future.
“Our strategy for navigating the pandemic as it moves toward the endemic phase will remain rooted in evidence-based decision-making that considers the physical and mental well-being of all community members. We will focus on preventing serious illness and hospitalizations, not on counting positive cases,” said the statement.
The statement also said that employees at the university whose roles directly support students are expected to return to campus by Jan. 31. Employees whose jobs are not student-facing will return gradually.
Yates and Chapman said vaccination is one of the school’s most effective tools to manage. Currently, 83.5 per cent of the eligible population age five and over is fully vaccinated.
“These high vaccination rates help ensure a safe return of in-person work and learning,” said Yates and Chapman.
